Vendhaya Keerai Koottu

Ingredients:
Methi Leaves - 1 bunch
Onion - 1, medium, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Thuvar dhal - 1/2 cup
Dry Chillies - 4
Tamarind - 1 ball
Garlic - 2 pods
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry chillies - 2

Method:

Clean and wash the mehthi leaves two times.
 
you might see sand deposits at the bottom.so clean the mehthi leaves several times.

keep rinsing for several times.Until the mud get clear off.
 
seperate the bunch .
   
Repeat till the greens are clean.

Preparation:

In a pressure pan, add the thuvar dhal and rinse.
 
Then add the chopped onion, tomatoes, washed mehthi leaves, dry red chillies, tamarind, garlic and salt to taste.
 
Leave for about 4 whistles or according to the cooker, until the ingredients would be cooked soft .
 
When the pressure subsides, smash it up with  a big spatula.
 
Don't grind too smooth .

so that to retain the texture.

In another pan, heat oil and add the Mustard seeds and dry chillies for tempering.

When they sputter, add them to the above mehthi leaves mixture and allow it to boil for a couple of mintues.
 
Then turn off and serve with rice.

Instead of thuvar Dhal this kootu can also do with moong dhal also.

This is a great combo with rice ,rasam and appalam..

Fish Kozhambu

Ingredients:
Fish - 5 to 6 pieces(King Fish)(Neimeen)
Tamarind - lemon sized
Turmeric powder - a generous pinch
Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Chilli powder - 1
Coriander powder - 2tsp
Vendhayam - 1 tsp
jeeragam-1tsp

To Temper :
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
kaaka Vadagam Vendhayam - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Small Onion - 10
Garlic - 5 pearls
Tomato - 1
Curry leaves - few

To grind:
Coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

Soak tamarind in warm water(say 1/4 cup), extract pulp and keep aside.

Heat  oil in the kadai add mustard seeds,vendhayam,jeera, kaaka vadagam allow it to splutter.

Then add curry leaves, onion, garlic saute for 3mins.

Then add tomatoes saute until raw smell leaves.

Then add chilli powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder let it saute for 5 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Then add the tamarind water to it.

Grind coconut as a thick paste .

Add to the curry let it boil for 3 minutes.

When oil seperates add the cleaned fish pieces.

Allow it to boil and the fish to cook well.

The fish will cook faster so be careful not to break the pieces.

Once the fish turns soft and the curry is well boiled and thick, oil will start collecting at the edges as shown below.

At last stage garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.